_To Mr. H――――._
_Charles-Town, July 12, 1754._
_Very dear Sir_,
THOUGH I hear that Captain _Thompson_ does not sail, these three weeks, yet as I am bound for the northward, I cannot help leaving a few grateful lines behind me. May they find you leaning on the ever-loving, ever-lovely JESUS, and determined through his strength steadily to pursue that one thing needful, which shall never be taken from you! My prayers are continually ascending in your behalf;――they are your due; I owe you, and shall owe you much love as long as I live. By this I send you most grateful acknowledgments for all favours,――they are many, but all noted in my Master’s book. How are my obligations to love and serve him increased! He gave us a pleasant passage, and I trust hath blessed my ministry to some souls since my arrival, and also hath given me to leave my orphan-charge in comfortable circumstances; the family now consists of above an hundred. He that fed the multitude in the wilderness, can and will feed the orphans in _Georgia_. Your letters I delivered, and I suppose you will receive proper answers.――But I find Mr. _H――――_ doth not trade at _Lisbon_, and Mr. _H――――m_ is about to leave off business and retire. Happy they who can do this, and at the same time that they retire from the world, retire into GOD. His presence is all in all. That you may be blessed with a plentiful portion of it here, and be admitted to an infinitely greater participation of it hereafter, is the earnest prayer of, very dear Sir,
Your most obliged friend, and ready servant, for CHRIST’s sake,